April 30 (Reuters) - British animal genetics company

Genus on Wednesday said the U.S. Food and Drug

Administration (FDA) approved its PRP gene edit under its PRRS

Resistant Pig ("PRP") programme for use in the U.S. food supply

chain.

The gene edit is designed to provide pigs resistance to

porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS), a disease

affecting swine globally, whose symptoms include fever,

respiratory distress, premature births.

In its capital market update in November 2023, Genus had

said that its PRP is resistant to prevalent PRRS strains.

Genus' shares rose as much as 30% to a near six-month high,

and were on track for their biggest one-day gain since December

2008.

PRP won't really start affecting Genus' income statement

until fiscal year 2027, but it could supercharge growth from

then on, said Seb Jantet, research analyst at Panmure Liberum.

As the U.S. is a net exporter of pork, the main issue for

Genus is reciprocal tariffs which could reduce the ability of

U.S. producers to export pork to Japan, Canada and Mexico, the

brokerage said in the note.

However, the company will "most likely be fine" as these

countries are likely to turn to Brazil for supply, where it has

a bigger market share than in the U.S., Panmure Liberum said.

The company said the approval was a significant step towards

PRP commercialisation in the U.S and added that it continues to

make progress to secure approvals from regulators in Mexico,

Canada, Japan and China.

(Reporting by Chandini Monnappa in Bengaluru; Editing by Varun

H K)